Bruins coach cracks lamest jokes you've ever heard before playing Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs, but it seems like they’re also front row to a comedy show.

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery has had a system this year in which Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman have split their starts pretty evenly: Swayman has made 42 while Ullmark has made 40.

But the playoffs are a different beast, with Swayman making 35 saves in a 5-1 Game 1 win on Saturday night.

So when asked today who his starter will be for Game 2 as his Bruins look to take them v again tonight, Montgomery opted for jokes instead of transparency.

“I don’t know why we would divulge information. When you’re preparing for a game, there’s parts of the goaltender that are part of the pre-scout. I don’t tell my wife. I’m not telling you,” Montgomery said to reporters today, as per WBZ Boston Sports. “Do any of you play Wordle? The starting goalie for tonight has two vowels in his first and last name.”

Swayman or Ullmark in Game 2? #NHLBruins head coach Jim Montgomery has jokes — but no answer for reporters https://t.co/qTak6C74wn pic.twitter.com/ffO9TxTaj4

— WBZ Boston Sports (@wbzsports) April 22, 2024

Montgomery’s last quip was a reference to the fact that both Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark have two vowels in each of their names, though a few fans did debate on social media whether the pair of “Y”s in Swayman’s name counted as a vowel or a consonant.

Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe was similarly quiet on the possible return of William Nylander, who skated today but did not take part in the team’s line rushes. Nylander played all 82 regular season games before missing Saturday night’s Game 1.

Puck drop is set for 7 pm ET tonight.

Leafs 2024 first-round playoff schedule

Game 2: Monday, April 22, Toronto at Boston, 7 pm ET
Game 3: Wednesday, April 24, Boston at Toronto, 7 pm ET
Game 4: Saturday, April 27, Boston at Toronto, 8 pm ET
Game 5: Tuesday, April 30, Toronto at Boston, TBD*
Game 6: Thursday, May 2, Boston at Toronto, TBD*
Game 7: Saturday, May 4, Toronto at Boston, TBD*
*if necessary

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